JACT: Exercise 1H-J4. accents on ἐστί

Here you can discuss all things Ancient Greek. Use this board to ask questions about grammar, discuss learning strategies, get help with a difficult passage of Greek, and more.
Post Reply
brookter
Textkit Member
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:20 pm
Location: Deva

JACT: Exercise 1H-J4. accents on ἐστί

Post by brookter »

Hi,

Forgive the simple question, but I'm slightly confused by the placing of accents in the answer given (in the Independent Study Guide) to the following question: He is and he is not.

ἔστι καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν.

(My attempt was ἐστί καὶ οὐκ ἐστί.).

Why has ἐστί become ἔστι?

I assume it's because ἐστί is enclitic, but according to Wikisource (I know, I know), this isn't the case:
Enclitics at the beginning of a sentence or clause retain their accent. Enclitics used emphatically also retain their accent.

ἐστί is written ἔστι at the beginning of a sentence, if it follows οὐκ (ouk), μή (mḗ), εἰ (ei), ὡς (hōs), ἀλλ’ (all’), τοῦτ’ (toût’), and in the phrase ἔστιν ὅτε (éstin hóte, “sometimes”).
... neither of which appear to apply here. The change isn't explained in JACT as far as I can tell. What have I misunderstood, please?

Thanks.

User avatar
seneca2008
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 2006
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:48 pm
Location: Londinium

Re: JACT: Exercise 1H-J4. accents on ἐστί

Post by seneca2008 »

Probert "A new short guide to the Accentuation of Ancient Greek" p 144 says:

"The form ἐστί, normally enclitic, has a fully accented variant ἔστι. This fully accented variant is used at the beginning of a verse sentence or clause and when the word expresses existence or possibility...."

Hope this helps
Persuade tibi hoc sic esse, ut scribo: quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam effluunt. Turpissima tamen est iactura, quae per neglegentiam fit. Et si volueris attendere, maxima pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, magna nihil agentibus, tota vita aliud agentibus.

User avatar
Barry Hofstetter
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1739
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:22 pm

Re: JACT: Exercise 1H-J4. accents on ἐστί

Post by Barry Hofstetter »

seneca2008 wrote: Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:50 am Probert "A new short guide to the Accentuation of Ancient Greek" p 144 says:
That is the one of the few times that I have seen a book on Amazon with all 5 star reviews, all written giving good reasons for the rating. Looks like it's worth getting.
N.E. Barry Hofstetter

Cuncta mortalia incerta...

User avatar
seneca2008
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 2006
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:48 pm
Location: Londinium

Re: JACT: Exercise 1H-J4. accents on ἐστί

Post by seneca2008 »

I was taught Greek initially by someone who ignored the accents. This was a disaster which I never really recovered from in my formal studies. So I am using Probert to remedy this defect. I find it very clear and informative.

Probert gives some other interesting info quoting Herodian, Hermann's rule (which she follows) and criticism by Wackernagel/Barrett/West. I thought this was a bit too advanced for the OP and probably everyone else here already knows it.

I highly recommend it. It has exercises too.
Persuade tibi hoc sic esse, ut scribo: quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam effluunt. Turpissima tamen est iactura, quae per neglegentiam fit. Et si volueris attendere, maxima pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, magna nihil agentibus, tota vita aliud agentibus.

brookter
Textkit Member
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:20 pm
Location: Deva

Re: JACT: Exercise 1H-J4. accents on ἐστί

Post by brookter »

That's useful. Thanks very much for the quick reply!

seanjonesbw
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 7:06 pm
Location: Wales

Re: JACT: Exercise 1H-J4. accents on ἐστί

Post by seanjonesbw »

seneca2008 wrote: Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:50 am "The form ἐστί, normally enclitic, has a fully accented variant ἔστι. This fully accented variant is used at the beginning of a verse sentence or clause and when the word expresses existence or possibility...."
The Seikilos inscription is a nice example of this, and the accentuation on ἔστι is supported by the melody!

Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἔστι τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.

Post Reply